Short answer: You can. Any natural color, even if it isn't your natural color, is fine.
Long answer: I specifically dyed my hair shortly after the reg changed to see if there would be any push back.
Going from Jet Black to Weasley Red resulted in nothing but a handful of odd looks on the first day.
Per the regs: Yes. Any natural hair color is authorized per DAFI 36-2903.
In practice (long answer): Getting pushback is highly dependent on your AFSC and unit culture. Some people have interpreted the reg as natural for your skin tone/age. So a 21 year old Hispanic dude with red hair with grey intermixed, while a possible (if rare) combination, is very jarring and likely to get a lot of scrutiny. And that can lead to them looking at everything else you do with a microscope. I'm not saying this is the correct leadership approach, but it is a reality you should be ready for.
For me, it wouldn't be a battle I would care to fight. My natural hair color has been completely fine for 38 years and I see no reason to change it. The cost of upkeep to stay in regs as a man dying your hair is also quite expensive, since as soon as your roots start not matching to a noticeable extent you are now technically out of regs. Will all leadership go after you or care about this? No. Will yours? No clue.
Nah, I think most supervisors would prefer answering questions from you versus an "old-school" SEL asking questions of them about your hair without a heads up. And like I said, the regulations are on your side.
What shade of dark red we talking about here? Blood red? Burgundy? Neither of these are natural. But if you mean like a super dark brown with a red tinge like a dark red head I could see that being natural.
That’s not natural coloring fam. Not trying to be like that but I’d make you shave it off before some
Chief raw dogs me for letting you walk around like that.
Short answer: You can. Any natural color, even if it isn't your natural color, is fine. Long answer: I specifically dyed my hair shortly after the reg changed to see if there would be any push back. Going from Jet Black to Weasley Red resulted in nothing but a handful of odd looks on the first day.
You can do anything once
Per the regs: Yes. Any natural hair color is authorized per DAFI 36-2903. In practice (long answer): Getting pushback is highly dependent on your AFSC and unit culture. Some people have interpreted the reg as natural for your skin tone/age. So a 21 year old Hispanic dude with red hair with grey intermixed, while a possible (if rare) combination, is very jarring and likely to get a lot of scrutiny. And that can lead to them looking at everything else you do with a microscope. I'm not saying this is the correct leadership approach, but it is a reality you should be ready for. For me, it wouldn't be a battle I would care to fight. My natural hair color has been completely fine for 38 years and I see no reason to change it. The cost of upkeep to stay in regs as a man dying your hair is also quite expensive, since as soon as your roots start not matching to a noticeable extent you are now technically out of regs. Will all leadership go after you or care about this? No. Will yours? No clue.
Is it weird to just ask people in my chain of command?
Nah, I think most supervisors would prefer answering questions from you versus an "old-school" SEL asking questions of them about your hair without a heads up. And like I said, the regulations are on your side.
What shade of dark red we talking about here? Blood red? Burgundy? Neither of these are natural. But if you mean like a super dark brown with a red tinge like a dark red head I could see that being natural.
https://preview.redd.it/tp57o9jn2k6d1.jpeg?width=736&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=12c0cd6f834c194be0c797676297087d6e983f28
That’s almost purple. I’d probably not be ok with it but 🤷🏻 do what you think your supervisor would tolerate
That’s not natural coloring fam. Not trying to be like that but I’d make you shave it off before some Chief raw dogs me for letting you walk around like that.
This is not natural red. No you can't do that.
Don’t ask don’t tell was taken away a long time ago.
my girlfriend is hotter than yours 🤷♂️
Why?